homeLife in Calafornia By: Isabella Corvelli Dani woke up in her small house in California. She walked over to her dresser, picked up her brush and started to brush her naturally wavy blonde hair. She had a bad feeling that today was going to be an emotional day. Her mom is sick and she could not stop worrying about her the whole night. Later that day she found out that her prediction came true. * * * * * * * * * * * “DANI, GET INTO THE CAR, NOW!” Dani could tell something wasn’t right by the tone in her dad’s voice. She quickly grabbed the teddy bear her mom had given her when she was 2 years old and raced to the car. As soon as she got into the car her dad stomped on the gas pedal and they rushed to the hospital. On their way Dani asked, “Dad what’s going on?” He replied, “I just received a call from the hospital, it’s Mom.” “Is she ok?” “I’m afraid not.” “Let’s hurry!” “You got it!” * * * * * * * * * * * The hospital… “Hi my name is William Duncan I received a phone call from you, It’s about my wife, Terri Duncan,” her dad exclaimed as they raced through the hospital doors. “Yes, said the nurse. “I called you, please follow me and I will take you to her room.” “Thank you.” Dani and her dad followed the nurse to her mom’s room. When they got there she was quietly resting. Dani rushed over to her and gave her mom a big hug and a kiss on her cheek. Her mom grabbed Dani’s hand as she spoke softly to her. “Dani, as you know I am not well and it just a matter of time, I just want you to remember that everything will be okay and to take care of Daddy for me. Never forget that I will always love you.” “I will, I promise.” The grip of her mother’s hand weakens as she slowly slips away. “Mom, please don’t go, I need you!” Dani cried as tears started to fall down her face. She was gone. Dani and her dad both kissed her on the cheek after they whispered “I love you” in her ear. When it was time to go they walked hand in hand to the car holding back their tears. They were tears full of the loss of their loving mother and wife and tears of fear of a life without her. “Dad, drive slow, I don’t want to go home right now, take like a few days, weeks, months, years, or even centuries.” Dani said, as she turned her head to look out the car window remembering all of the fun times she had with her mother. “Don’t worry honey, I will” Her dad replied as he looked at Dani then up to the sky. “I will.” * * * * * * 5 Years Later… “Happy birthday to you… Happy birthday to you… Happy birthday dear Dani… Happy birthday to you… Wooooo, YEAH” “How’s my 14 year old girl?” “Great, thank you dad for everything, I love you!” “I love you too honey, and so does Mom.” “I know.” Dani walked over to join her friends. She was having such a great time. With a big smile on her face she glanced back at her dad just as a woman walking toward him tripped and fell right into his lap. He looked at her and she looked at him and they both smiled and then he helped her up. Dani’s smile went away and fear grew in her eyes as she took a good look at that woman. Something wasn’t right. * * * * * * * * * * * The car… Dani and her dad were in the car riding home from her party when Dani suddenly blurts out, “I saw you with that woman.” “Is there something wrong with helping someone from almost falling to the floor?” “No, but I saw the way you two looked at each other. You had that gleam in your eyes.” “There is nothing going on between us.” “I hope not. Do you still remember Mom?” “Of course I do, I would never forget your mother. Why would you think I would forget her?” “I don’t know… maybe if you got married to another woman.” “Oh, I see. You don’t want me getting married to anyone, do you?” “Not really, no one can ever replace Mom.” “I know, but I think mom would be ok with it, she would want us to move on with our lives.” “Ok… BUT I have to approve who you are going to marry. Ok?” “Ok, it’s fine with me.” Her dad says ending their conversation. When they got home they both went to their rooms. Like a usual 14 year old girl, Dani was on the computer while texting her friends and listening to music. Suddenly there was a weird moment of silence. Dani heard her dad talking to someone, she couldn’t tell who it was but she knew something was up. She took the headphones off her ears to listen more closely. The only thing she could hear was her father laughing the kind of laugh he always did when her mother made a funny joke. She picked up the phone and heard them talking. * * * * * * * * * * * The next night… “Honey, come on down, I want you to meet someone,” her dad yelled up the stairs. “Meet someone? Who’s this someone? Is this the woman he was talking to on the phone yesterday? This can’t be. Dani said to herself as she was walking around her room in circles. “I’ll be down in a second!” Literally in one second Dani rushed down the stairs and stood next to her father. Standing next to him was a tan skinny woman with long brown hair wearing a black shirt with a white blouse over it and a black skirt with black slip-on shoes. “I have to say, she does her makeup really well too.” Dani said to herself as she was examining the mysterious woman. “Hi, my name is Jillian, but you can call me Jill for short.” “My name is Danielle, but you can me Dani for short.” “Ok, well it looks like everyone is getting along here” said her dad. “So far”, Dani muttered under her breath. * * * * * * * * * * * The next day… “Dani, it’s time for breakfast!” “I’m coming!” Dani shouted back. Dani ran downstairs and on the table were warm chocolate chip waffles in the form of a smiley face just the way she likes them. “What’s this for?” “I just decided to give you waffles, is there a problem with me giving my favorite daughter waffles for breakfast?” “No, I’m just curious as to why you made me waffles with chocolate chips and in the form of a smiley face.” “Ok, ok you caught me. Well tonight Jillian and I are going to dinner… ok?” “I guess, but yesterday you promised that tonight you were going to shoot some baskets outside with me… I need the practice.” “Yes I know I promised, but we can do it another day.” “But I don’t want to do it another day. YOU PROMISED TONIGHT!” “I know I did, but there’s a change of plans and I’m going to have to do it another time.” “Ugh, FINE!” she screamed. Dani said her last words as she stomped to her bedroom leaving her dad in the dust. * * * * * * * * * * * That night… Dani walked over to her dad’s bedroom. “I-I’m sorry Dad. I didn’t mean to yell at you.” Her dad didn’t answer at first but then he finally said, “Don’t worry about it honey I’m sorry I should have told you this sooner.” “Its ok, I understand.” Dani went back to her room and plopped on her bed like a frog and fell asleep. By the time Dani woke up Jillian and her dad had already left. Dani decided to go downstairs to make herself some pasta for dinner. When she got downstairs, sitting on the table was a bowl of pasta waiting for her to gobble up. Next to the bowl of pasta was a post-it note that said, Dear Dani, Here is some pasta to hold you over for the night; there are also some chocolate chip cookies in the pantry if you would like some. We’ll be back at about 9:30 p.m. Love, Dad and Jillian Dani had the pasta and some chocolate chip cookies. She went back upstairs and went to bed. Dad and Jillian came home at 9:45. * * * * * * * * * * * Next Afternoon… That afternoon, Jillian surprised Dani and her dad by coming over for lunch. She thought they could have a picnic lunch outside in the backyard on the grass. She brought peanut butter and jelly finger sandwiches, apple juice, potato chips and grapes for dessert. Dani didn’t want to go because she didn’t want to be with Jillian. But her dad thought it was a nice idea and eventually Dani agreed and joined them. When they finished their lunch, they played on the swings that that were in her backyard since she was a kid. When the afternoon ended, Jillian went home to get her hair cut and go shopping for groceries. Jillian talked Dani into making dinner together for her dad that night. * * * * * * * * * * * That night… Ding dong!!!! “Dani can you answer the door… I think it is Jillian.” “Ok dad.” Dani went to open the door and saw Jullian’s arms full of groceries. “Thank you Dani” said Jillian as Dani helped her into the house. “You’re welcome Jillian.” At that moment Dani thought about her mother and immediately left and went to her room. When Dani heard her dad and Jillian laughing she went downstairs to see what they were doing, She hid in a spot where she could not be seen but was able to watch them. Dani thought about her mom over and over again while she was looking at Jillian and her dad. It was strange to see dad so happy with someone other than her mom. Dani went back upstairs and in a little while she went back downstairs still acting like she doesn’t like Jillian. “Dani is everything ok? Can I talk to you alone?” “I guess.” Dani and Jillian walked over to the family room and they both sat down on the couch. “I just wanted to tell you that no one could ever replace your mom. You’re a nice girl and I heard nice things your mom. I want you to know that I love your dad and I can never take your mom’s place. I hope you can understand that.” “I do understand. It’s just really hard because my mom was everything to me.” “I know.” When they were done with their talk, Dani started to think about Jillian. She thought that maybe Jillian wasn’t that bad. She was really nice it just may work out.
By: Isabella Corvelli
Dani woke up in her small house in California. She walked over to her dresser, picked up her brush and started to brush her naturally wavy blonde hair. She had a bad feeling that today was going to be an emotional day. Her mom is sick and she could not stop worrying about her the whole night. Later that day she found out that her prediction came true.
* * * * * * * * * * *
“DANI, GET INTO THE CAR, NOW!”
Dani could tell something wasn’t right by the tone in her dad’s voice. She quickly grabbed the teddy bear her mom had given her when she was 2 years old and raced to the car. As soon as she got into the car her dad stomped on the gas pedal and they rushed to the hospital. On their way Dani asked, “Dad what’s going on?” He replied, “I just received a call from the hospital, it’s Mom.”
“Is she ok?”
“I’m afraid not.”
“Let’s hurry!”
“You got it!”
* * * * * * * * * * *
The hospital…
“Hi my name is William Duncan I received a phone call from you, It’s about my wife, Terri Duncan,” her dad exclaimed as they raced through the hospital doors.
“Yes, said the nurse. “I called you, please follow me and I will take you to her room.”
“Thank you.”
Dani and her dad followed the nurse to her mom’s room. When they got there she was quietly resting. Dani rushed over to her and gave her mom a big hug and a kiss on her cheek. Her mom grabbed Dani’s hand as she spoke softly to her.
“Dani, as you know I am not well and it just a matter of time, I just want you to remember that everything will be okay and to take care of Daddy for me. Never forget that I will always love you.”
“I will, I promise.” The grip of her mother’s hand weakens as she slowly slips away.
“Mom, please don’t go, I need you!” Dani cried as tears started to fall down her face.
She was gone. Dani and her dad both kissed her on the cheek after they whispered “I love you” in her ear. When it was time to go they walked hand in hand to the car holding back their tears. They were tears full of the loss of their loving mother and wife and tears of fear of a life without her.
“Dad, drive slow, I don’t want to go home right now, take like a few days, weeks, months, years, or even centuries.” Dani said, as she turned her head to look out the car window remembering all of the fun times she had with her mother.
“Don’t worry honey, I will” Her dad replied as he looked at Dani then up to the sky. “I will.”
* * * * * *
5 Years Later…
“Happy birthday to you… Happy birthday to you… Happy birthday dear Dani… Happy birthday to you… Wooooo, YEAH”
“How’s my 14 year old girl?”
“Great, thank you dad for everything, I love you!”
“I love you too honey, and so does Mom.”
“I know.”
Dani walked over to join her friends. She was having such a great time. With a big smile on her face she glanced back at her dad just as a woman walking toward him tripped and fell right into his lap. He looked at her and she looked at him and they both smiled and then he helped her up. Dani’s smile went away and fear grew in her eyes as she took a good look at that woman. Something wasn’t right.
* * * * * * * * * * *
The car…
Dani and her dad were in the car riding home from her party when Dani suddenly blurts out,
“I saw you with that woman.”
“Is there something wrong with helping someone from almost falling to the floor?”
“No, but I saw the way you two looked at each other. You had that gleam in your eyes.”
“There is nothing going on between us.”
“I hope not. Do you still remember Mom?”
“Of course I do, I would never forget your mother. Why would you think I would forget her?”
“I don’t know… maybe if you got married to another woman.”
“Oh, I see. You don’t want me getting married to anyone, do you?”
“Not really, no one can ever replace Mom.”
“I know, but I think mom would be ok with it, she would want us to move on with our lives.”
“Ok… BUT I have to approve who you are going to marry. Ok?”
“Ok, it’s fine with me.” Her dad says ending their conversation.
When they got home they both went to their rooms. Like a usual 14 year old girl, Dani was on the computer while texting her friends and listening to music. Suddenly there was a weird moment of silence. Dani heard her dad talking to someone, she couldn’t tell who it was but she knew something was up. She took the headphones off her ears to listen more closely. The only thing she could hear was her father laughing the kind of laugh he always did when her mother made a funny joke. She picked up the phone and heard them talking.
* * * * * * * * * * *
The next night…
“Honey, come on down, I want you to meet someone,” her dad yelled up the stairs.
“Meet someone? Who’s this someone? Is this the woman he was talking to on the phone yesterday? This can’t be. Dani said to herself as she was walking around her room in circles.
“I’ll be down in a second!”
Literally in one second Dani rushed down the stairs and stood next to her father. Standing next to him was a tan skinny woman with long brown hair wearing a black shirt with a white blouse over it and a black skirt with black slip-on shoes.
“I have to say, she does her makeup really well too.” Dani said to herself as she was examining the mysterious woman.
“Hi, my name is Jillian, but you can call me Jill for short.”
“My name is Danielle, but you can me Dani for short.”
“Ok, well it looks like everyone is getting along here” said her dad.
“So far”, Dani muttered under her breath.
* * * * * * * * * * *
The next day…
“Dani, it’s time for breakfast!”
“I’m coming!” Dani shouted back.
Dani ran downstairs and on the table were warm chocolate chip waffles in the form of a smiley face just the way she likes them.
“What’s this for?”
“I just decided to give you waffles, is there a problem with me giving my favorite daughter waffles for breakfast?”
“No, I’m just curious as to why you made me waffles with chocolate chips and in the form of a smiley face.”
“Ok, ok you caught me. Well tonight Jillian and I are going to dinner… ok?”
“I guess, but yesterday you promised that tonight you were going to shoot some baskets outside with me… I need the practice.”
“Yes I know I promised, but we can do it another day.”
“But I don’t want to do it another day. YOU PROMISED TONIGHT!”
“I know I did, but there’s a change of plans and I’m going to have to do it another time.”
“Ugh, FINE!” she screamed.
Dani said her last words as she stomped to her bedroom leaving her dad in the dust.
* * * * * * * * * * *
That night…
Dani walked over to her dad’s bedroom.
“I-I’m sorry Dad. I didn’t mean to yell at you.”
Her dad didn’t answer at first but then he finally said,
“Don’t worry about it honey I’m sorry I should have told you this sooner.”
“Its ok, I understand.”
Dani went back to her room and plopped on her bed like a frog and fell asleep. By the time Dani woke up Jillian and her dad had already left. Dani decided to go downstairs to make herself some pasta for dinner. When she got downstairs, sitting on the table was a bowl of pasta waiting for her to gobble up. Next to the bowl of pasta was a post-it note that said,
Dear Dani,
Here is some pasta to hold you over for the night; there are also some chocolate chip cookies in the pantry if you would like some. We’ll be back at about 9:30 p.m.
Love,
Dad and Jillian
Dani had the pasta and some chocolate chip cookies. She went back upstairs and went to bed. Dad and Jillian came home at 9:45.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Next Afternoon…
That afternoon, Jillian surprised Dani and her dad by coming over for lunch. She thought they could have a picnic lunch outside in the backyard on the grass. She brought peanut butter and jelly finger sandwiches, apple juice, potato chips and grapes for dessert. Dani didn’t want to go because she didn’t want to be with Jillian. But her dad thought it was a nice idea and eventually Dani agreed and joined them. When they finished their lunch, they played on the swings that that were in her backyard since she was a kid. When the afternoon ended, Jillian went home to get her hair cut and go shopping for groceries. Jillian talked Dani into making dinner together for her dad that night.
* * * * * * * * * * *
That night…
Ding dong!!!!
“Dani can you answer the door… I think it is Jillian.”
“Ok dad.”
Dani went to open the door and saw Jullian’s arms full of groceries.
“Thank you Dani” said Jillian as Dani helped her into the house.
“You’re welcome Jillian.”
At that moment Dani thought about her mother and immediately left and went to her room. When Dani heard her dad and Jillian laughing she went downstairs to see what they were doing, She hid in a spot where she could not be seen but was able to watch them. Dani thought about her mom over and over again while she was looking at Jillian and her dad. It was strange to see dad so happy with someone other than her mom. Dani went back upstairs and in a little while she went back downstairs still acting like she doesn’t like Jillian.
“Dani is everything ok? Can I talk to you alone?”
“I guess.”
Dani and Jillian walked over to the family room and they both sat down on the couch.
“I just wanted to tell you that no one could ever replace your mom. You’re a nice girl and I heard nice things your mom. I want you to know that I love your dad and I can never take your mom’s place. I hope you can understand that.”
“I do understand. It’s just really hard because my mom was everything to me.”
“I know.”
When they were done with their talk, Dani started to think about Jillian. She thought that maybe Jillian wasn’t that bad. She was really nice it just may work out.